Inspirations – Paul Zizka

© Paul Zizka

Canon EOS 5D, 17-40mm f/4L at 17mm, ISO 600, f/4, 30 seconds

This shot was taken on a recent ski mountaineering trip to the Wapta Icefield in Banff and Yoho National Parks. Despite the obvious downsides of carrying a 7-pound tripod and ballhead up to such locations, the Manfrotto setup has become part of the standard overnight gear should an opportunity like this present itself. For me, there is nothing like the serenity of a clear, starry sky, high up in the wilderness. Carrying a tripod into the alpine environment allows for fantastic low-light photo opportunities. For this particular image, I decided to restrict the exposure time to 30 seconds to minimize star movement. I shot wide open and at an ISO that would allow enough light to be recorded in the foreground snow. It was then a matter of asking my trip partners to light up the tents from the insides with their headlamps. They are used to such requests! The moon was actually less than half-full that night. It is the 30-second exposure that gave it a circular appearance. ~ Paul Zizka